Abstract
Contrary to what has been claimed by medieval Arab authors and some modern scholars, the epistle attributed to Sahl b. Hārun in the Book of Misers does not defend avarice. This research argues that this epistle is a satirical parody created by al-Ǧāhiz in order to correct the defect of some of his contemporaries, particularly those who belong to the elite of the society. Our study attempts to show that al-Ǧāhiz uses irony in a pragmatic way to decry the attitude of one of his contemporaries dominated by the evil of avarice. The epistle is thus in perfect harmony with other elements of the book.
| Translated title of the contribution | Towards a new reading of the Risala attributed to Sahl b. Harun by Al-Gahiz |
|---|---|
| Original language | French |
| Pages (from-to) | 58-105 |
| Number of pages | 48 |
| Journal | Arabica |
| Volume | 60 |
| Issue number | 1-2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2013 |
Keywords
- Al-Ǧahiz
- Book of Misers
- Hār̄un
- Sahl b
- anecdote
- argumentation
- avarice
- avaricious
- buhalā
- epistle
- irony
- parody
- qisas
- rhetoric
- risala
- satire
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Cultural Studies
- Language and Linguistics
- Religious studies
- Literature and Literary Theory